Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play Alabamy Bound on piano
By Al Jolson
- F major
- 2/2
- 140 BPM
- 1925
- Easy
Learn Alabamy Bound in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: A7 – Dm – Bb7 – Dm
Alabamy Bound sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: A7 is A, C#, E and G; Dm is D, F and A; Bb7 is Bb, D, F and Ab. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
A7III7DmviBb7IV7Dmvi- A7A · C# · E · G
- DmD · F · A
- Bb7Bb · D · F · Ab
- 2
Left hand: Gentle rocking
Root, fifth, octave, fifth: the gentle rocking under countless pop ballads. Musicians call it broken chord 1-5-8-5 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 696 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Hopscotch chords
Chord, chord, skip beat 3, chord: hopping over a square. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 140 BPM
Put the two hands together over the loop. Start at half speed with the player's speed control, and bring it up once every change is easy.
- 5
Ending: Gm – C7 – F
The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GmC7F- GmG · Bb · D
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- FF · A · C
Play next
Questions about Alabamy Bound
What chords are in Alabamy Bound?
The loop is A7 – Dm – Bb7 – Dm (III7 – vi – IV7 – vi) in F major, and the song ends on Gm – C7 – F.
What key is Alabamy Bound in?
F major, at about 140 beats a minute in 2/2.
What does the left hand play in Alabamy Bound?
Gentle rocking: broken chord 1-5-8-5, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Alabamy Bound easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 4 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Made from 2 arrangements of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.